You don’t have to be a division one athlete to potentially get hurt on the field or in the gym. Whether you are newly working out on a regular basis or are a highly trained professional athlete, anyone who takes part in any kind of physical activity can suffer from a sports injury. Should the time ever come when you are injured during workouts or a game, it is important to be prepared and know what to do in order to fully recover and prevent further damage to the injured part of your body. In this post, we will uncover eight of the most common sports injuries and the best treatments for those common injuries.
- Plantar Fasciitis: If you have been putting a lot of stress on your foot and find that taking steps now causes pain and a feeling of tightness to run along your heel, you may be suffering from a condition known as plantar fasciitis. This is often caused by large amounts of sprinting or by wearing improper footwear. While symptoms of this condition are not always the same, the majority of people who experience plantar fasciitis report feeling sharp or even dull pain with every step they take. Treatment for plantar fasciitis is a gradual process and recovery does not happen swiftly. It will require some rehabilitation on your own or possibly with a physical therapist if it has become too severe. Try running the arch of your foot on a golf ball or a frozen water bottle in order to stretch out your injured tendon. Do this for five minutes straight a few times throughout the day. You may also be required to wear a splint at night as well as sneakers as your primary shoes in order to offered your injured foot more support.
- Quad Strain: A quad strain can be caused by a variety of different activities. It is commonly caused by overuse of the muscle when it is not yet ready for a higher level of strain. An example of this would be a long distance run or a high intensity sprint workout without properly stretching and warming up first. A foam roller is an excellent product to use in order to work out the strain and remove some of the stress and tightness in the muscle. From there, it is important to do different exercises such as leg raises and steadily progressing to walking lunges in order to help the muscle completely heal.
- Hip Bursitis: While this injury most commonly affects older individuals, young people who lead very active lifestyles can also suffer from it. Hip bursitis can be caused by a hard blow to the hip, however it is usually the result of overuse. Walking long distances, cycling, and running are all activities that can create pain around the hip and the outside of the upper thigh. If you suspect that the cause of your pain is hip bursitis, recovery from this injury will require gentle exercises that improve the coordination in your hip and buttock muscles. When you have strengthened and bettered your coordination in these areas, it will reduce some of the inflammation and friction that are causing you pain.
- Low Back Pain: This injury is caused by anything including heavy lifting, exercise, and trauma. The level of pain that you experience depends on the severity of the injury. In most cases, low back pain will only require a period of rest in order to heal. If the injury is more debilitating, you may need some form of support or a brace for a period of time followed by rehabilitation with gentle exercises. In order to prevent low back pain and chronic pain issues, build core strength as well as strength in your glutes so that the chances of injury or doing certain exercises the wrong way are substantially lowered.
- Pulled Muscle: No matter how experienced or skilled an athlete is, everyone is susceptible to a pulled muscle if the body isn’t properly warmed up before rigorous exercise. In addition to insufficient warm ups, other factors including muscle weakness, fatigue, and stress can cause a muscle to be pulled during sports or training sessions. It is easy to prevent a pulled muscle from occurring by doing simple stretches prior to engaging in any physical activity. In the case of a pulled muscle, follow the RICE treatment method. Rest the muscle, ice it for twenty minutes at a time, compress it with a bandage or other form of support, and keep it elevated if necessary. Some form of over-the-counter pain medication can also help reduce a lot of the pain and inflammation.
- Runner’s Knee: Nearly half of all sports injuries are knee-related and knee problems are some of the most common reasons for orthopedic surgery. Runner’s knee is the term used to described a variety of different pain symptoms that affect the knee cap. While many runners do suffer from this injury, it is also a common ailment for athletes who participate in activities such as volleyball, basketball, swimming, cycling, and football. When the knee is overused in physical activity without adequate periods of rest, it will lead to an irritation of the tendon underneath the knee cap. Treatment for runner’s knee can include a variety of things including sufficient rest, icing the knee, avoiding certain exercises such as squatting and lunging, and wrapping the kneed to provide it with extra support.
- Shin Splints: While not a very serious injury, shin splints are painful and they disrupt a person’s ability to regularly work out. When the muscles surrounding the shin bone become inflamed, it creates pain and irritation in the area. This is caused by overuse and it is common in people who run extensively. The best way to avoid shin splints is by wearing shoes that offer proper support, performing a variety of exercises (cross training), and not doing one exercise too quickly at a high level of intensity. To treat shin splints, rest your legs for an adequate period of time and ease your way back into routine exercise. Icing the shins and taking anti-inflammatory medication are also beneficial.
- Achilles Tendinitis: When the tendon in the back of your ankle is overused and irritated, it can lead to acute Achilles tendinitis in some cases. This causes pain and inflammation and can worsen until it is essentially impossible to walk without pain and even run. To properly treat this injury, rest, ice, compress, and elevate the heel. You may also find anti-inflammatory drugs useful to reduce swelling and lower the levels of pain. A brace or other type of bandage might also be necessary in certain cases. If you want to prevent Achilles tendinitis from occurring, always stretch and warm up before running or performing any other form of exercise.
Want to learn more about the most effective treatments for common sports injuries? Contact our team today! We have all the highest quality sports injury gear and medical supplies needed to fully recover from a variety of sports injuries including ankle sprains, shoulder injuries, and knee pain. Don’t hesitate to check out our vast supply of medical products and ask our knowledgeable staff about anything related to your sports injury.